INFOCUS FILM SCHOOL AND VANCOUVER

Originally located in a heritage building in the heart of Gastown, Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhood, we’ve recently expanded into a second campus in the heart of Downtown Vancouver. Located in the traditional and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples – the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, and Musqueam Nations – our new Seymour Campus is dedicated to classroom space for our in-person programs. Across the street, we maintain a large studio space for InFocus Film Production classes and a rental space for independent filmmakers to shoot.

Filmmaking takes time, and for that reason, we make our rooms and computer labs available for student use all day. Classrooms, editing studios, film studio space, and meeting rooms are available at any time the room is not being used for a class. The same is true for all programs. Screenwriting students will always have a quiet place to write and animators can burn the midnight oil in the 3D studio when completing their demo reels.

With a prime location in the downtown core, we are accessible from multiple major transit routes and easily reached by bicycle. We are within walking distance of hundreds of restaurants, shops, and cafes, and are minutes from both ocean and mountains. InFocus Film School is truly the ideal location to study film.

Vancouver is an incredible city that has a lot to offer students looking to study film production or other fields in the entertainment industry. If you’re looking for a dynamic and exciting place to study, Vancouver should be at the top of your list.

Over 100,000 students travel to Vancouver annually for its vibrant, safe, and warm atmosphere. Consistently rated as one of the world’s most livable cities, Vancouver possesses striking natural beauty and has long been established as one of the world’s most creative centres for film and digital screen arts. As a multicultural city with a diverse population and a strong film industry presence from around the world, students have a unique opportunity to learn about different cultures and perspectives, which can enrich their filmmaking skills.

With its outstanding natural beauty, Vancouver also offers many recreational benefits, including access to the ocean, mountains, parks and fitness centres, all complemented by a lively arts scene and vibrant nightlife. From museums and art galleries to music festivals and sporting events, there’s always something happening in Vancouver.

Vancouver’s Film Industry

Known as Hollywood North, Vancouver is the third-largest production centre in North America with a long history of feature film, TV series, documentary, animation, and commercial production. Numerous studios, production companies, and post-production facilities call Vancouver home. This provides students with ample opportunities for internships, work experience, and networking within the tight-knit and supportive film industry.

Alongside a thriving domestic industry, the city sees a consistent flow of high-budget US productions due to the favourable dollar, generous tax credits, impressive infrastructure, high-level talent, and stunning locations. BC enjoys $4 billion annually in direct spending on film and TV productions and over 65,000 jobs in the entertainment industry.

Vancouver is known for its stunning natural scenery, which provides a picturesque backdrop for filming. This has made it a popular location for both Hollywood and Canadian productions with oceans, mountains, forests, farmland, urban centres, rural villages, and more all within minutes of downtown.

But not all productions in Vancouver are big-budget. The Vancouver film industry is constantly supporting new and emerging talent with numerous grants, production support, and mentorship opportunities available to new filmmakers.

Canada’s 3D Animation & VFX Heart

Other screen-based sectors such as Visual Effects & Animation, Digital Media, and Video Game Design are similarly booming in Vancouver. The 3D animation and visual effects industries are massive in Vancouver, with many Oscar-winning studios including Industrial Light and Magic, Sony Imageworks, and DNEG. These studios work on some of the biggest and most popular films and TV shows, creating the incredible visual effects and animation you see in the Star Wars Universe, Marvel Studios blockbusters, and hit series such as Game of Thrones and The Last of Us.

Vancouver is a fantastic location for anyone interested in pursuing a career in animation or VFX. With its major studios, skilled workforce, tax incentives, supportive community, and growing industry, Vancouver provides a rich and rewarding environment for animators and VFX artists to create amazing visual effects and animation.

Fantastic Networking

Students studying in Vancouver can benefit from a large and friendly film networking community to fuel their passion and have access to a multitude of high-quality Film and TV events, festivals, and networking groups (VIFF, DOXA, Film and TV Forum, Crazy8s, Vancouver Webfest, DocBC, Vancouver Women and Film and TV to name but a few).

World-Class Transportation

Vancouver has a condensed, highly-walkable downtown core, excellent bicycle infrastructure, and a world-class transit system, making it a breeze to get around without a car. Located in the heart of the downtown core, InFocus Film School is convenient for all major transportation systems with three Skytrain stations, major bus routes, the Seabus, and bike lanes all within a few minutes’ walk. Vancouver is also serviced by a selection of vehicle-sharing options including Evo, Modo, and Mobi bicycle sharing.

All in all, Vancouver is a kick-ass place to study and make movies!